Wednesday, August 01, 2012

The Beef With Chick-fil-A

My Facebook newsfeed moves quickly. It's why I often miss baby pictures, health updates from friends, vacation snaps. But lately, no matter how fast the stream is flowing, it is impossible to miss at least three references for or against Chick-fil-A.

It will surprise no one who reads DGMS that I happen to regard homophobia as cowardly, ignorant, and quite frankly, unconstitutional.

When it hides behind religion, I find it even more reprehensible.

You see, I can point to an actual document, written by actual people whose graves I can go visit, who can be historically proven to have existed, whose signatures are intact on said document to back up my firm committment to equal rights.

Religion? Not so much. Yes, yes, yes - hold up your Bibles and tell me your stories. But that's what they are. STORIES. Written, rewritten, translated, amended, altered, removed, added back in, and slanted by those who were in power at any given time. (Yes, I believe Jesus walked this earth, but your behavior is as far from Jesus-y as is possible. He was a hang-with-everyone-love-everyone-accept-everyone type guy. And he did not write your favorite cherry picked line about who one lays with.) It is not a cornerstone of democracy, not a founding document for a nation. It is a collection of stories used throughout history to instruct a flock, keep it in line, make it fearful, and incite it to violence when necessary. All in the name of "God."

I put "God" in quotation marks because He is not the only deity in recorded human history. He is but one on a roster with thousands of others. And if He is your chosen one, and the Bible your emotional #1 bestseller - GREAT.

Read it till its dogeared and you need to head to the nearest Mardel's to pick up a new one. Read your favorite passages so often the book falls open to them like most copies of 50 Shades do to the "good parts."

Just don't get it near MY constitution.

This brouhaha started when Chick-fil-A president, Dan Cathy, opined about his views on traditional marriage and it was shown that millions of dollars have been poured into anti-gay equality efforts.

Fine. I completely defend his right to parrot what he has been taught to believe all these years. I defend his right to funnel money anywhere he chooses. I defend his right to franchise out a thousand more red and white chick-a-terias. (And I completely DO NOT support the politicians who would seek to keep new Chick-fil-As out of their towns. THAT is wrong. Let them build. People no more have to patronize them as they do a strip club, jerkoff joint along the highway, cigar store, or bar. Hate to break it to you, but the lion's share of we "libs" defend your rights in everything I just listed.)

But just as I 100% defend his rights, it is my right to 100% disagree with him, state MY opinion, and drive past his establishments.

And that's where this whole thing escalates.

Somehow, those - oh hell, let's use Sarah Palin since she has found her way back to the microphones and TV cameras with this issue - believe that MY boycotting Chick-fil-a "has a chilling effect on our 1st Amendment rights."

Oh really?

She drawls on, "And having voiced support for kind of that cornerstone of all civilization and all religions since the beginning of time, he then basically [is] getting crucified."

Holy hyperbole, Batshitcrazywoman.

Sarah, darling, you know zero about ALL religions. Hell, you know zero about much of anything that comes out your mouth. But let's talk first amendment, shall we?

You and your ilk love to spout your beliefs, so often steeped in hatred of the "other," shout your bigotry, ignorance, and derision for a huge piece of the population, then cry a river of victimhood when we dare to call you out.

THAT free speech door swings both ways, Sarah. Sorry it hits you in your big, fat mouth so often.

Yes, it guarantees the government cannot oppress that mouth of yours. Just as it cannot oppress this mouth of mine.

And the choice of people who believe in equal rights for ALL to stand together to boycott feeding more money into the chicken grinder of hatred is just as protected as is your right to storm the Chik'n fortress today and eat till you puke whole waffle fries.

(Just for fun though, Sarah, let's imagine Dan Cathy had publicly stated his SUPPORT of gay marriage and you found out he had shoveled millions into those support coffers. Would you be still be stuffing your maw with his chik'n or whining about the war on Christianity? Rhetorical question, dear, no answer required.)

Just as it is the right of One Million Moms (in name only - really roughly 40,000, but who's to quibble over a math error of 950,000ish, huh?) can refuse to patronize JC Penney for supporting same sex couples/marriage. Just curious, Sarah ... How is their boycott NOT chilling to the first amendment? Never mind, I know questions like that make your brain smoke. Anyway, do what supports your inner narrative.

And I will do what supports mine.

The difference is, I have a honest-to-man document to back up my stand on equality.

You have a storybook.

If your beliefs include denying other people their rights (and there are currently over 1,100 rights YOU get that those "others" do not), then you are wrong.

And Sarah, that makes YOU as unAmerican as it gets.

(Not that I eat meat anyway, but I will be standing with those who refuse to finance additional hate campaigns via chik'n tenders. Hmmm, maybe our slogan should be, Beef: It's What's For Sinners.)

Comments

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As a business owner, albeit not a large one, I find it inappropriate to espouse my personal views on politics, religion, and all those other socially volatile subjects in any manner that reflects on my company. My company is not a person - therefore, it should have no "opinions" on these subjects, so I feel a responsibility to set a leadership tone that is unbiased. Yes, of course I have my own opinions and ideals and values. No, I very rarely share them with others.

I think it was very irresponsible and showed a major lack of judgment for Mr. Cathy to say the things he did in his interview, and more importantly, for Chick-fil-A to provide financial support to groups that reportedly espouse hate and bigotry. Is he entitled to his personal views and ideals and morals? Of course. However, when those views are reported in a manner that makes them appear to be the views of his organization, then that is just plain wrong.

I am a Christian and I support traditional family values. I also support the right of everyone to live the sort of family life they want to live. I have been married and divorced twice, so I guess I am one of those who Mr. Cathy does not support. I simply do not believe in discrimination of any kind.

I am a firm supporter of freedom of speech, but sometimes it's just better to keep your mouth closed!

Now why would anyone want to eat beaks and toenails anyway? This guy can say what he wants like anyone else. First Amendment applies to him too. Oh if everyone just thought like us the world would be a better place...

A Chicago alderman is asking for an anti-discrimination declaration IN WRITING before letting a Chik-Fil-A obtain a building license in his district. I don't think that is terrible...but the news is saying that he won't let them build there at all. NOT TRUE!

Why would you let your personal opinions be known if you are opening a business? That's just crazy!!!!!!

Also, with all the hoopla about Cathy's anti gay beliefs, no one has picked up that he is also against divorce and remarriage. He's a well-rounded bigot. I've been in the Baptist denomination and they won't let anyone serve within the church who has been divorced.
“We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives,” Cathy said.

Linda: Just got this comment forwarded in an e-mail from one of my sibblings:

"They reported that inside they began singing “God Bless America”. Good to know that, although the weirdoes may have some
people following nitwits, there are still a significant number of real God believing real Americans still around."

I watched the news and saw nothing but stories on the lines of people patronizing CFA, people waiting for hours to show their support, and it made me very sad. Sad for my gay friends, who I love as PEOPLE, to see so many haters. And I agree 100% with you Linda, this is NOT what Jesus would do. I had to wonder too, what people in countries around the world thought of our country, which boasts on being the leader in human rights, when they viewed these "crowds" at a fast food chicken joint. [shaking my head]

Until "government" is completely subject to term limits, there will be no meaningful change. Our government is stuffed with people constantly campaigning for re-election, pandering to their base, and being bought by lobbies. Religion also needs kicked to the curb. It has infected ghe very ideals that built this country.

You posted something on your FB page yesterday - but I agree 100% - it's their choice to hate whomever they like, it's my choice to not enter their establishment. It's also my choice to spread the word about their hate. This is basic HUMAN RIGHTS. I't a no brainer and they are on the WRONG side of history. Isn't it time that the goverment stops screwing around with the constitution and make it right????

I stopped eating Chick-Fil-A a few yrs ago when I heard they were donating to the anti-LGBT groups. Never made a big deal out of it. They can give money where they want but it doesn't have to be my money. And for what it's worth, I'm not impressed with their food or their pricing. Target lost me for the same reason last yr when they donated to some of those groups. They can do as they like, but conversely so can I. And I choose to vote with my money and support those whose politics are more in line with my own.